The Danger of Repeated Omissions

Friday, April 08, 2022 at 09:04 AM ET

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A Piper Turbo Lance, like the one pictured here, experienced trouble on the way to Pensacola, Florida in 2020. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A Piper Turbo Lance crashed, killing two pilots, following a catastrophic engine failure and subsequent in-flight fire, despite the pilots' professional efforts to reach a nearby airport.
The NTSB investigation determined the engine failure was due to severe oil starvation caused by a 60% obstructed oil suction screen.
The probable cause was identified as the mechanic's repeated failure to clean the oil suction screen, a task not performed in at least 11 years, which led to the critical blockage despite persistent reports of low oil pressure.

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On a clear June afternoon in 2020, two senior Navy pilots left Jasper, Alabama (KJFX), headed for Pensacola, Florida, 200 nm distant, where they were based. They were flying a Piper Turbo Lance of which the left seat pilot was a co-owner. After a 30-minute cruise climb, the Lance leveled out at 15,000 feet.

About nine minutes later, the pilot asked Atlanta Center for a descent to 10,000, which was granted. After another minute, he reported an “engine fluctuation” and requested a further descent and deviation to Selma (KSEM), which was close by. Center cleared him to 5,000. Shortly afterward, the pilot, his voice tense but calm, declared an emergency.